I am foreign student who is going to study at Penn State University starting Fall 2013. I have been rock climbing for 3 years and really do not want to stop training. Unfortunately Penn State does not seem to be the best place for rock climbers. The information about places to climb is out of date. Does anybody know is there any place to train not far from the University all year around?

I am foreign student who is going to study at Penn State University starting Fall 2013. I have been rock climbing for 3 years and really do not want to stop training. Unfortunately Penn State does not seem to be the best place for rock climbers. The information about places to climb is out of date. Does anybody know is there any place to train not far from the University all year around?

Thank you in advance!

I went to school a little northwest of there (many years ago) and while there's some climbing in NW PA there wasn't much that I was aware of. Certainly given the Pennsylvania weather and a class schedule there's nothing that you could manage year round. If you've got a car there are small places that you could make day trips to and bigger places maybe for a weekend or longer. For all of its rocky hills Pennsylvania just doesn't make for first rate climbing.

There is more rock within three hours of PSU that you could climb in 10,000 lifetimes. there is endless sandstone in North/North Central/North Western, Western PA. Just watch for rattle snakes copperheads, bears and elk. it's straight up wilderness.

I agree with funk. There is tons of rock in Pa! Hunters rock is a little over thirty minutes from PSU and offers quite a bit of high quality sandstone bouldering. Donation rocks is also out there somewhere and offers some roped climbing. Paradise Rock and the Mocanaqua areas are about 2 hours East on route 80 and offer some stellar roped climbing, both trad and sport. Pa Rocks!

I went to the New River Gorge, Seneca, or the Gunks just about every weekend during my time there in grad school. Find a motivated group and you will love the sandstone and grit stone the area has to offer: http://vimeo.com/11245677